FDSW, its lawyers, and its staff have as our mission providing our clients with what we like to call "the best defense money can't buy." It's long been a widely held belief that in the criminal justice system, defendants with money do better than those without. It is that belief we seek to turn on its head. By our skill, our commitment, and our energy, we strive to practice law in a way that makes our clients' lack of financial resources their good fortune.

FDSW is not a government agency. It is a private corporation -- a law firm -- funded by a grant from the federal judiciary. In this regard and by design, FDSW maintains a degree of independence from the courts it serves, the judges before whom FDSW's lawyers practice, and the federal prosecutors who are our case-related adversaries. Our resources are impressive: if a case requires an expert, we have funds to hire the expert; if witnesses need to be located and interviewed or records need to be obtained, each of FDSW's three offices has a full-time defense investigator. And to us, clients are human beings, not defendants with docket numbers: we are able to give each case and client the time and individual attention each deserves.